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Volume 63 | Issue 9 | February 22, 2016 Volume 63 | Issue 6 | December 5, 2014
A California Baptist University Campus Publication
BANNER Swim and Dive teams make history CBU women’s swim team wins third consecutive RMAC championship title and the men’s swim team brings in their first conference title. See page 12 for the full story.
Conner Schuh | Banner
Corey Stein, junior mechanical engineering major and swimmer for the men’s swim and dive team, pushes toward the finish during his freestyle heat in the pool at California Baptist University.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia dies at 79, leaves impact, legacy BY ASHLEY DINKEL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a traditionalist who fought for the interpretation of the words of the Constitution to stay relavent as a Supreme Court Justice for three decades, died Feb. 13 at the age of 79. Scalia worked as a U.S. Supreme Court justice after President Ronald Reagan appointed him in 1986, and the Senate confirmed him with a 98-0 vote. “He was an extraordinary individual and jurist, admired and treasured by his colleagues,” Chief Justice John Roberts said. “His passing is a great loss to the court and the country he so loyally served.” Scalia was committed to his judicial philosophy of traditionalism, the interpretation of the Constitution as it was understood at the time it was written by those who drafted and ratified the Constitution. With his
traditional approach of law, Scalia stood up for conservative principles and was a defender of the separation of powers. The judicial philosophy of postmodernism, typically held by some Democrats, is the interpretation of law as by the people and the belief that the intentions of the drafters of the Constitution are to be taken in a modern context. Dr. Daniel Skubik, professor of law, ethics and humanities, said in an email his initial reaction of the news was one of shock and said his prayers are for the peace of his soul and comfort for his family. He said his second reaction was how disruptive his death will be to the remainder of the U.S. Supreme Court term this year with many important cases he said he beileves are now more likely to end with a 4-4 vote and no majority decision or national resolution of the issues. With a vacancy in the court, President Barack Obama said he plans to fulfill his constitutional responsibility to nominate a suc-
cessor in place of Justice Scalia. “My third reaction was the concern that the president will have a difficult time nominating someone to replace Justice Scalia who will pass Senate approval, meaning the court would have just eight members not only for the rest of this year, but virtually all of next year as well,” Skubik said. “A hobbled court, the third principal branch of our federal government, will have a difficult time effectively exercising its role as our judicial authority over the country.” Scalia’s death sparked an immediate debate about whether Obama should fill the seat in an election year. Donald Trump, Republican presidential front-runner, called on Senate Republicans in a GOP debate Feb. 13 to block any effort by Obama to nominate a successor. Others such as Sen. Harry Reid, Senate minority leader, said on Twitter he believes the president can and should send the Senate a nominee right away. Skubik said there are political consequences during this election
Science faculty members lead team for Chaffey High School District curriculum BY KAYLYN KUNTZ ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Five science faculty members from California Baptist University will lead a team revamping curriculum development in the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. Dr. Jim Buchholz, professor of mathematics and physics, became the principal investigator for the $1.35 million state grant, which will be spread out over the course of three years to enhance the teachers’ skills and improve student academics. “There are 46 high school teachers from the Chaffey High School District, which will include science teachers in biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science,” Buchholz said. Dr. Patrick Schacht, assistant professor of biochemistry, will be one of the involved faculty mem-
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bers leading one of the science not been emphasized in years. sections from CBU. The next step will focus on “The first thing that we are the ninth to 12th grade students’ going to be doand testThe system is set up needs ing is collect ining. so the teachers can formation from “ T h e r e ’s the teachers,” monitor the students’ been a shift Schacht said. screen so they have an within the high “They’ve done curricuability to help individual school some rather exlum and withstudents in areas where in the testing tensive surveys with the teachers they struggle or to be standards that’s so we should get able to see whether e m p h a s i z i n g that data soon of integraa certain group of more what topics in the tional material, new shift of cur- students are way ahead. understanding Dr. Patrick Schacht of concepts and riculum they feel they don’t have assistant professor of critical thinking the tools to teach biochemistry about concepts, right now.” rather than just After the results come back, memorizing facts and regurgitatthe team will tailor the needs, give ing facts,” Schacht said. “This was equipment and new simulations a grant to provide some of that they might need or possibly refa- support to teaching that style in miliarize them on areas that have the classroom that would be a lit-
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tle more hands-on and applying what they know to something practical, rather than just memorizing and saying the right answer to that question.” Buchholz said Chaffey has old labs, which the team will update with more modern features, including computer-interfaced laboratories. “The system is set up so the teachers can monitor the students’ screen so they have an ability to help individual students in areas where they struggle or to be able to see whether a certain group of students are way ahead,” Schacht said. In July, the CBU team will provide teacher training for topics they will be implementing in the upcoming semester, and five times a year, the team will meet with the teachers and students to do pre- and post-testing,
season, not only for the presidency but for those in Senater seats — many of whom are Republicans running for re-election. “A perception that the Senate is delaying consideration of a replacement without good reason will potentially put some Senate seats at risk and even lead to (the) return of Democrats’ control of the Senate,” Skubik said. “The current calls by several Republican presidential primary candidates to delay any nomination of the president can all too readily backfire on them and the party.” While appointments are made with the advice and consent of the Senate, Skubik explained it is the president who presents a nominee, and the nominee is one who broadly shares the president’s jurisprudential views. “It makes a real difference whether a President Bush nominates someone like John Roberts, or President Obama nominates someone like Sonia Sotomayor,” Skubik said. “Whomever is elected president this coming November
will likely have an appointment or two to make for the court, and that influence lasts as long as that person serves on the court, often for several generations.” Skubik said if Obama’s upcoming nominee is rejected by the Senate, the new president will have this slot to fill immediately. However, Skubik explains it is important for voters to not be swayed by claims that precedent demands that a president not make an election year nomination as there is no such precedent in law or in history. “It is certainly a political matter and there will be much politicking about anyone who is nominated,” Skubik said. “But there is plenty of time remaining for both the president and the Senate to perform their constitutional duties, supported by law and demonstrated in history.” President Obama did not attend Scalia’s funeral Feb. 20. Instead, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama payed their respects Feb. 19 at the Supreme Court.
Jeff Lewis appointed as Director of Mobilization BY BEKKA WIEDENMEYER NEWS EDITOR
The Office of Spiritual Life at California Baptist University announced Feb. 1 that Jeffrey Lewis, assistant professor of intercultural studies and current interim Director of Mobilization, will be appointed Director of Mobilization, effective July 1. Lewis, who has been in the interim position since August 2015, is in his 17th year as a faculty member at CBU. While he will still be teaching classes in the 2016-2017 academic year, he will be stepping down from a faculty position and assuming the role of adjunct professor to accommodate the permanence of his new responsibilities as director of MOB. “As interim, you want to
help manage what already exists,” Lewis said. “As director, we’ll start moving toward developing that which kind of fits more my personality and perspective — moving toward the same goal, but maybe in a little different way.” The goal Lewis mentioned is to create a culture of developing a mobilized lifestyle, not just through International Service Projects, United States Projects and Summers of Service, but through life adjustments and a process of development. “I need somebody who is a strategic thinker, but also a visional thinker,” said John Montgomery, dean of Spiritual Life. “They understand the larger strategy of what we’re doing, which is two fold.
SEE NEW DIRECTOR| PAGE 2
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